Cattle Market Pulse

Ash Flat Livestock Auction Market Report

Ash Flat, Arkansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 21, 2026

529 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Ash Flat Livestock Auction report →

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $330.11/cwt -8.07 vs last sale · ≈ $2,430/hd at 736 lb · 13 head
light 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $356.51/cwt -26.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,537/hd at 431 lb · 13 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $365.99/cwt -17.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,965/hd at 537 lb · 10 head
Ash Flat, AR 4-weight heifers sold at $359/cwt, $21/cwt below the AR average ($380), and $29/cwt under Southeast Direct Cattle Report ($388). AR 4-weight heifers are down $64/cwt from their early July peak of $444. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 529 536 602
Feeder cattle 454 494 383
Slaughter cattle 40 25 69
Replacement cattle 35 17 150

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder cattle supply was moderate, consisting primarily of unweaned calves. Feeder steers were not tested sufficiently to establish a market trend, while feeder bulls sold steady to $5.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold $5.00 to $10.00 lower; feeder bulls saw better demand this week, while overall demand for feeder heifers and steers was softer. Slaughter cattle were also seeing lighter demand, with cattle selling $10.00 to $15.00 lower.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,552 -45.00
366–390 371 5 460.00–505.00 $469.47 $1,742 —
450–485 463 4 410.00–435.00 $421.70 $1,952 -17.98
465 thin fleshed 465 1 457.50 $457.50 $2,127 —
510 510 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,116 —
585–595 590 3 367.50–380.00 $375.83 $2,217 —
676 676 6 340.00 $340.00 $2,298 —
825 825 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,764 +20.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–385 378 3 400.00–445.00 $421.85 $1,595 —
425 thin fleshed 425 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,870 —
420–440 430 4 370.00–410.00 $392.01 $1,686 -46.43
465–485 478 4 385.00–410.00 $398.66 $1,906 -21.34
515–545 526 8 360.00–392.50 $381.78 $2,008 —
565–585 575 2 350.00–355.00 $352.54 $2,027 +12.54
605 605 1 342.50 $342.50 $2,072 +8.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–340 338 2 400.00–405.00 $402.52 $1,361 -17.48
360–390 373 6 370.00–400.00 $385.50 $1,438 -24.09
400–445 431 13 350.00–385.00 $356.51 $1,537 -26.12
450–495 472 10 337.50–370.00 $349.72 $1,651 -16.70
510–530 516 6 325.00–360.00 $334.09 $1,724 -2.54
555–588 581 5 320.00–322.50 $322.02 $1,871 -24.70
617–645 624 4 300.00–315.00 $311.12 $1,941 -14.40
675 675 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,160 —
750 750 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,912 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,577 —
405 thin fleshed 405 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,843 —
455–485 468 3 350.00–360.00 $353.24 $1,653 -11.76
465–495 477 3 370.00–395.00 $378.22 $1,804 +13.22
536–540 536 9 360.00–370.00 $368.88 $1,977 -15.87
545 545 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,853 -44.75
590 590 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,036 -13.71
600–620 610 2 340.00 $340.00 $2,074 +8.57
620 620 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,984 -11.43
695 695 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,363 +12.03
705–739 736 13 300.00–332.50 $330.11 $2,430 -8.07
755 755 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,208 -50.00
820 820 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,296 -20.00
1055 1055 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,848 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,240 -55.00
360–390 372 3 380.00–425.00 $400.65 $1,490 -39.16
400–445 426 5 375.00–405.00 $391.22 $1,667 -20.78
440 thin fleshed 440 1 425.00 $425.00 $1,870 -20.00
465–495 481 4 360.00–385.00 $373.30 $1,796 -10.79
520–545 535 8 340.00–360.00 $352.18 $1,884 -9.49
550 thin fleshed 550 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,035 —
590 590 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,770 -39.81
620 620 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,860 -30.00
650–675 660 3 300.00–335.00 $318.14 $2,100 —
710–715 713 2 277.50–280.00 $278.75 $1,987 —
775 775 1 292.20 $292.20 $2,265 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 535.00 $535.00 $1,739 —
385 385 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,732 -25.00
460–490 474 5 415.00–440.00 $423.87 $2,009 +7.08
505–530 520 3 375.00–400.00 $388.14 $2,018 -1.61
510–540 525 2 357.50–370.00 $363.57 $1,909 -26.18
560 560 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,904 -28.36
550–590 565 4 360.00–370.00 $367.39 $2,076 -0.97
628 628 4 360.00 $360.00 $2,261 +4.74
665 665 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,328 +5.00
700 700 2 330.00–332.50 $331.25 $2,319 -18.75
755 755 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,567 +30.00
813 813 3 305.00 $305.00 $2,480 —
880–895 888 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,486 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
586–595 588 5 350.00–352.50 $350.51 $2,061 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1740–1865 1803 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 5,000.00–5,500.00 $5,258.67 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805 805 85-90% 1 112.00 $112.00 $902 —
880 880 85-90% 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,382 +37.00
980–1090 1035 85-90% 2 130.00–136.00 $132.84 $1,375 —
890–1335 1073 85-90% 7 144.00–154.00 $148.68 $1,595 -7.35
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120 1120 80-85% 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,602 —
1205–1405 1309 80-85% 4 155.00–165.00 $160.86 $2,106 —
1310–1360 1332 80-85% 3 170.00 $170.00 $2,264 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430–1545 1488 75-80% 2 155.00–165.00 $160.19 $2,384 —
1535 1535 75-80% 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,149 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570–1635 1603 2 170.00–178.00 $174.08 $2,791 —
1615–1695 1655 2 180.00–185.00 $182.44 $3,019 —
1895–2040 1968 2 200.00 $200.00 $3,936 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00
930–1175 1053 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,400.00–2,950.00 $2,707.01
1155–1345 1230 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,000.00–2,400.00 $2,281.71
980–1560 1270 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,200.00–2,650.00 $2,476.38
1240–1495 1374 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,100.00–2,950.00 $2,620.93
1210–1965 1583 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,500.00–2,950.00 $2,724.37

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
850 thin fleshed 850 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —
1100 1100 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —
1100 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 4,250.00 $4,250.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.